Finding Solace
by ni-chan11
Summary: Sasuke has finally avenged the death of his clan and has moved on in life. But the feeling of loneliness haunts him. Will it change when a mysterious girl unexpectedly enters his life? Will Sakura allow it? Read to find out. OCxSasuxSaku?
1. The Meeting

**A/N: I'm really more of an essay-writing type of writer. This is just one of my lazy attempts at story-writing. But I hope some people will like it. Maybe it sucks but i'm kinda new at this. I have no idea if there is such a thing as a Jounin exam. Just bear with me. But, one thing is for sure...SASUKE ROCKS! **

* * *

_Hello there, little girl. My, my, what a pretty face you have. Beautiful. You'll be perfect for my little brother, for Sasuke. Don't be afraid. I'll spare your life... After all, the Uchiha Clan must continue to live on. I shall spare your life. You will live. But only on one condition… _

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**:

_I loathe you. I hate you…_

_Please. Please don't do it, Itachi. Don't._

"No!"

Sasuke woke up with a start. A nightmare. The nightmare. He never thought that it would haunt him again. Blood. The blood of his clan. The blood of his parents. And the fear. The hatred. It was unbearable. Cold sweat was dripping down his face as he tried to shut off the images from that horrible night. _Deep breaths. Yeah. That would do it. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale._ He closed his eyes as if it would erase the memories that came rushing back. Sleep, it seems, wasn't going to help him escape his past.

It's been six years since he last saw his brother. Itachi. Six years since one of the last members of the Uchiha clan died in the hands of his own brother. And now, Uchiha Sasuke is truly alone. The only living member of one of the most feared clans in Konoha. Alone. Even thinking about it sent cold shivers down his spine. He was utterly ALONE. _You should get some sleep, Sasuke. Jounin exams tomorrow._

* * *

"Sasuke-san!" a female voice cut through his train of thoughts. A blur of pink covered his eyes as Sakura bounced into view.

"Hello, Sakura."

"So Sasuke-san, are you ready for your Jounin exam?"

"Yeah."

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

Short, straightforward answers. That's all you can expect from this raven-hair boy. Correction. This raven-haired guy. The years have been good to Sasuke. At 18 years, he turned exactly into what Sakura had expected. A head-turner. Handsome, genius, skilled. What more could you ask for?

Ignoring Sakura, Sasuke continued to walk towards the main battle stadium. He didn't see her frowning from behind him. He didn't see the disappointment in her eyes. For a guy who wants a companion, he was completely oblivious to fact that there, behind him, was someone who wanted to be with him. He stared blankly ahead, uncaring. His measured steps carried him onward, his hands in his pockets as usual and his striking face remained cold and expressionless…

* * *

"Sasuke-san!"

For the second time in five minutes, a girl ambushed him. But this time, locks of golden hair greeted his view.

"Hello, Ino."

"Good morning, Sasuke-san. Ready for the exams?"

"Sure."

"Nervous."

"No."

"…"

Another set of short, straightforward answers. That's all you can expect from this raven-haired guy. _The Jounin Exam will start in half an hour, Sasuke. Better hurry up._

"I'll see you around, Ino."

The raven-haired Sasuke walked away. He didn't see her frowning behind him. He didn't see the disappointment in her eyes. His face remained cold and expressionless. He wished his heart would be that way too. Unfeeling. Unaware of the loneliness he was feeling right at that moment.

Soon, the fighting arena came into view. A number of Chuunins were lurking in the streets waiting for the first light fireworks that will signal the start of the final exams. They all stopped and stared as Uchiha Sasuke passed by. They eyed him cautiously as he silently walked towards the entrance gates. Some of them eyed him nervously. At such a young age, he has already proven to every single ninja in Konoha that he was one of the best. His toughest rival, Uzumaki Naruto, remained the only person who could have the possibility of defeating him in combat.

* * *

BOOM!

The sound of fireworks had all of them running for the entrance. Only a selected few will be promoted to the rank of Jounin. Nobody doubted that Uchiha Sasuke would be one of them. After all, his only purpose in life now, is to fight.

* * *

"You put on a good fight, Sasuke."

The new Jounin's eyes widened with surprise as his old mentor suddenly appeared before him.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

The masked Jounin extended his arm to congratulate his former student. The Jounin exam proved to be one of the most exciting events to date.

"So, what does it feel to be a Jounin. Haah, wasn't it just yesterday that I was training you, Naruto and Sakura?"

All Sasuke could do was nod his head. It didn't feel like yesterday to him. It seemed a million years ago. He was a different person back then. His heart was full of hatred and anger towards his brother. He even sought the evil power of Orochimaru just to have enough strength to defeat the murderous Itachi.

But all that has changed. His heart wasn't filled with rage anymore. It was empty. A dark pit of loneliness that no one he knew could fill. He was different from them. And no matter how hard he tried, he would always be set apart from the rest. _That's right, Sasuke. You'll remain like this for the rest of your life._

"Why the far away look?"

"Huh?"

"You do know that you should be celebrating, right?"

Sasuke looked at Kakashi blankly and took him a second to realize that, indeed, he should be celebrating. He was a Jounin now. This was a new stage in his life. Not everybody could achieve what he had just done.

"Naruto and the others are already at the ramen store. We should go there too."

"It's alright, Kakashi-sensei. You go on without me. I'll just take a walk or something."

Hatake Kakashi let out a deep sigh. All these years and Sasuke still hasn't change. Still the brooding ninja with a superiority complex. He shook his head in dismay and looked at his former pupil.

"You should really lighten up. And I know just thing you need."

Kakashi's visible eyes glinted mischievously as Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Without a word, Kakashi signaled Sasuke to follow him. Reluctantly, he followed, just as he did when he was but a mere Genin.

"Where are we going?"

"Just follow me. Maybe you'll run away if I tell you."

That wasn't the most encouraging thing to say. It made Sasuke more inclined to just turn around and walk towards the opposite direction. But his curiosity got the best of him.

They continued to walk along the streets of Konoha, constantly making turns here and there. It didn't take long for Sasuke to realize that Kakashi was taking him to the woods. This confused him all the more. They were walking in silence and his former teacher hasn't uttered a word since they left the city center. But he didn't complain. He learned long ago to expect the unexpected when it comes to this odd Jounin. No questions asked. _This better be worth my time. _

It was a beautiful spring afternoon, a perfect condition for a long walk. They were quite far from the city proper now. Rows of trees surrounded them as they walked along a grassy path that was almost entirely covered with fallen cherry blossoms. Sasuke could hear the small stream near by. He could see the exact place where he became a Genin. It was a long time ago. Looking back, he remembered how determined he was to be on top. His father always told him that he should be like his big brother. _But where are you now, Father? Slain by your own son. The son you were always proud of. The son you always wanted me to be. He never gave you the chance to see me grow up. And he never gave me the chance to see you grow old. That's why I didn't give him the chance to live._

"We're here!" Kakashi stopped announced so suddenly that Sasuke collided with his back.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're early!"

_Kakashi-sensei. Early? Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen. _A young woman was walking towards them with a big smile on her face. Sasuke didn't realize that there was someone else in that vicinity except Kakashi and him.

"Sasuke didn't feel like celebrating, so we headed here."

The girl's eyes which was fixed on the masked Jounin a while ago was now directed towards him. They were calculating purple eyes and seemed to take in everything without giving anything back. Her face was perfectly framed against her long black hair.

"So, this is the infamous Uchiha Sasuke." She held out her delicate hand, which he shook with his own training-worn hands.

"Sasuke, this is Chiyo."

**A/N: This is the new and improved chapter. I know, I know. I didn't change a lot but I still hope you like it. I'll be adding chapter 5 as soon as I get the chance. You may also want to read my new fan fiction: THE LAST LOVE LETTER. I know, I know. I'm not good at titles so just bear with me.**


	2. Puzzling

**A/N: Yehey! I finished the second chapter! It's shorter than the first one and nothing much will happen. I'm still thinking about what will happen in the next chapter anyway. I'm just getting the hang of this so please bear with me. I do hope that I can make the succeeding chapters better.**

**CHAPTER TWO:**

"_So, this is the infamous Uchiha Sasuke." She held out her delicate hand, which he shook with his own training-worn hands. _

"_Sasuke, this is Chiyo." _

_Chiyo. _The name resounded in his head. _Why?_ That name was stuck in his head for some reason that he himself didn't know. _Where have I heard it before? _It sounded so familiar. But he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"So, I should probably tell you why I brought you here."

_Oh yeah. Kakashi-sensei hasn't told me yet. _He cocked an eyebrow and waited for the masked Jounin to speak. His previous thoughts vanished from his mind as his ex- mentor struggled to find the words to tell him.

"Well, as you can see, um, I…."

"Just tell him Kakashi-sensei." Chiyo said impatiently.

"Okay, okay. Jeez." He looked Sasuke in the eye and seriously added, "I want you to train Chiyo."

"Hmm?"

The request more like a command really took a minute before it registered in his brain. And when it did,

"What!" he said a little too loud that he would have wanted.

He looked from Kakashi to Chiyo. Confused, he eyed them and before he could say another word Kakashi elaborated more on his request/command.

"Look, I would train her myself. But, it would be better if you would. You're a Jounin now, Sasuke. Sooner or later, three Genins will be assigned to you and you're gonna have to train them. This is like a beginner's course for you."

"Beginner's course?"

"Yeah, beginner's course for teaching. Don't tell me you forgot the responsibilities of being a Jounin? She's already a Chuunin and from what I've heard from Tsunade, she's a fast learner. So, are you up for it."

"Uhm, I guess." He really couldn't see any reason why he should decline. After all, there weren't an abundance of missions in Konoha.

"Good. Now, train her."

Kakashi gently pushed Chiyo towards Sasuke and the girl shyly inched forward. _Kakashi's probably right, Sasuke. _He sighed submissively and nodded in agreement. Usually, he was reluctant to agree to Kakashi's bright ideas since it usually involves life-threatening situations but training a girl wouldn't be hard. _Right? _He slowly turned his gaze towards her but quickly turned away when he saw that she was staring at him. Kakashi smirked at this but his expression suddenly turned serious. He mustn't forget the real reason why he wanted the two to spend some time together. Besides, they make a cute couple. He looked at the pair who was now walking towards the river to start their training. Before the two realized it, he teleported back to the city center. Jiraiya's new book was out today.

"Thank you for doing this, Sasuke."

"No problem."

He sensed that Kakashi was gone. _He probably went to the bookstore to get a copy of Jiraiya's new paperback._

"So…what kind of training are you going to give me?"

"We'll start with the basics."

"Okay. But how long will it take?"

"Depends on how good you are."

"Oh."

"…"

"You're not much of a talker, are you?"

Sasuke stopped dead on his tracks and faced her with an angry glare. A lot of people always said that he was a man of few words and it really didn't matter to him. He didn't want to talk nonsense like Naruto. _Then why is bothering you now? You should be used to it now. After all, she's just like Sakura and Ino. _He turned away in disgust. No, he wasn't disgusted with her. He was disgusted with himself. He wanted to laugh at himself for allowing his temper to flare because of a little thing. He looked up at the sky as he resumed walking, his face as expressionless as before.

Chiyo stared in amazement at what she saw. One second, he looked at her like he wanted to slap her, and the next, his expression softened and returned to what it was before. The sudden changes in his expressions baffled her. The contradictions made it hard for her to even imagine what was going in his head. She made a mental note about talking too much.

"We should hurry up." Sasuke said as he quickened his pace.

"Okay."

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she trailed behind her puzzling companion.


	3. the Three

**A/N: First of all, thank you for all your wonderful reviews. It really boosted my confidence. Arigato! Well, CHAPTER 3 is here! Hope you guys enjoy it! (-.-)**

"_We should hurry up." Sasuke said as he quickened his pace._

"_Okay."_

_A soft sigh escaped her lips as she trailed behind her puzzling companion. _

**CHAPTER 3:**

**Chiyo…**

Her muscles ached as she walked home and there were several cuts and bruises on her arms and legs. The training Sasuke gave her was harder than she anticipated. It took all her stamina to keep up with him and she was indignant that the training left her new teacher unscathed while she was covered in welts. He didn't even break a sweat when they sparred to see how much she already knew.

She had to admit that he was one of the best fighters she's ever encountered. He easily dodged the blows she threw at him. And his face always remained expressionless. But there was something mysterious about his eyes. It was like he was hiding a secret that nobody knew, a secret that he didn't want anybody to find out. She smiled at the thought. He wasn't the only one with secrets.

"So,how was your first day?"

Kakashi suddenly appeared out of nowhere that he almost gave Chiyo a heart attack. It took a few seconds before her heart rate returned to normal. But instead of answering, she just breathed out an exhausted sigh. It was apparent that she was spent up to her limit and walking home was making her more drained by the minute.

"That bad, huh?"

All she could do was nod as her legs struggled to carry her weight. The copy ninja had expected the Uchiha prodigy to give Chiyo a rough training. But he didn't expect that it would start a few moments after the two met.

"Kakashi-sensei,tell me again why I have to do this? I was convinced he was going to make me train to death."

The masked Jounin suppressed a chuckle. Not that it was apparent behind his mask anyway. He thought for a few moments before he answered. He knew that even if Chiyo was joking, she was still expecting him to give her a reasonable answer.

"Well, being his student is the only way you can accomplish your mission. It would've been easier if I found you sooner. I mean, before he was able to avenge his family. If he knew about you, we would've been able to stop him."

Chiyo nodded in understanding. She understood why Sasuke turned out the way he did. She even understood why he felt such hatred for his brother. She would've done the same thing; after all, they did suffer an almost similar fate.

Talking to Kakashi made it easier for her to walk since her mind became occupied with the events that happened. Before she knew it, they were standing in front of her house.

"I guess I'll see you around."

"Sure, Kakashi-sensei."

"And, Chiyo…"

"Yes, sensei?"

"Be careful. Remember what I told you. Gradual execution."

"Hai."

Kakashi disappeared as he teleported to another place. Chiyo had never been so happy to be home and quickly rushed inside eager to have a nice hot shower and a hearty meal.

**Sasuke…**

The sunset showered the sky with stunning shades of red, orange, and gold. Spring was his favorite season. It allowed him many beautiful days for walks. Walks that he usually does on his own. Sasuke strolled across the woodland of Konoha. His only companions were the birds in the sky and the critters that lived in the forest.

It was a peaceful time in his country. But it offered no excitement in his life. Since Orochimaru's death, not many enemies dared to attack them. Peace and order seemed to have finally settled. In other words, ninjas didn't have many missions to do and that left him to himself with the exception of certain unwanted episodes. These episodes being sudden ambushes by his fan girls.

He grimaced at the thought. To get his mind off of it, he thought about the events that happened that day. _Chiyo._ There it was again. The sudden rush of familiarity every time he heard or thought of that name.

The training he gave her was intense but rather satisfying. After all, he hasn't done anything worthwhile except the Jounin exam. He'd be meeting her again tomorrow. And he was surprised to find that he was actually looking forward to it. It wasn't something that happened everyday.

"Sasuke!"

A familiar voice called out his name from a distance ahead. His gaze lifted from the ground and quickly saw that it was Sakura. _Here we go again. _Before she got to him, he told himself to have extra patience. That was what it usually takes to get rid of Sakura.

**Sakura…**

"How was the exam?"

She already knew that Sasuke passed and was now a Jounin. But she wanted to hear it personally from him. She and Ino looked for him right after the examination but he was nowhere to be found. They searched for him around the city but it was a fruitless effort. Ino gave up an hour ago but Sakura was determined to talk to him.

"It was fine."

Sakura started to walk with him and when he didn't complain, she took it as a sign that he was in a good mood.

"…"

"Do you want to tell me something, Sakura?"

The ninja girl was somehow taken aback by his question. She heard the trace of annoyance in his voice but pretended not to notice.

"Umm, n-no… Not r-really. I just wanted to know if you were okay." She struggled to keep her voice even.

"Well, now you know. I should be getting home."

"Okay. I'll see you around, Sasuke-kun"

He didn't even nod his head. He just continued to walk as if she wasn't there. Her eyes welled up with tears as he disappeared into a corner.

**A/N: And that my folks, was the third chapter…I hope you liked it! Please review! I want to hear about your opinions.. But please don't be harsh. Suggestions are also welcome. (-.-)**


	4. Ogle

**A/N: Hello guys! Thank you again for all your reviews! I should be writing an epic for my English class. But writing a fanfic is more interesting. Anyway, CHAPTER 4 is finished! I'm sorry it took so long.Our computer got infected with this virus. Anyway, not much is going to happen in this chap. I wrote this in such a hurry.**

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**CHAPTER 4:**

**Somewhere in the woods…**

"Are you tired, Chiyo?"

Sasuke landed effortlessly on the ground after dodging his student's attacks. They've been training for a week now and he had to admit that she was a fast learner.

"No. I'm not tired yet."

Even though she knew that she exhausted almost all of her energy, she refused to admit that the training Sasuke was giving her was more than she could handle. She mentally cursed Kakashi. It would have been easier for her if she were allowed to use all of her "abilities". Unfortunately, that would defeat the purpose of her mission. _Gradual execution, gradual execution. _She chanted silently in her mind as she continued to spar with the jounin.

It was already late afternoon, which means that they've been training for twelve straight hours already. Her body was already starting to give way and her muscles ached as she strained to defend herself from the blows he was now giving her.

He would've hit her squarely in the stomach if he didn't pull back milliseconds before his knuckles collided with her belly.

"That's enough for today."

Chiyo breathed out a sigh of relief. She thought she was a goner since she would've been knocked unconscious if he didn't stop his attack. She nodded her head feebly and started to collect the darts she had thrown at him earlier.

By the time she was done, Sasuke was already a few meters away. That was what he usually did. Immediately after ending a training session, he'd walk off without a word of goodbye. He made it clear from the first day that they'd meet by the river everyday.

Before she could stop herself, she ran after him. _I guess it's time to start the plan._

"Sasuke!"

She always called him by his first name. Even if he was her teacher, she didn't think he would mind. After all, she was only a year younger than he was.

Sasuke was surprised to hear Chiyo call out his name. He turned around just in time to see her running towards him. The sight made him think of Sakura. He almost shook his head in dismay but was able to stop himself.

"What?"

She was panting when she reached him. "Do you mind if walk with you?"

"Uh, I guess not."

He resumed his walking but this time, in a slower pace. It was obvious that Chiyo was already dead tired. He just effectively hid his surprised when she asked to walk with him. He pocketed his fists and looked up at the sky.

_**Inside the Haruno household…**_

"Mom, I'm going out for a while. Ino and I are going to meet up" Sakura called out to her mother.

"Sakura? Come here for a second." Her mom called out from the kitchen. Sakura reluctantly turned away from the doorway and headed for the kitchen. She saw mom sitting on a chair with a stern look on her face. _Uh oh. This is not good._

"What is it, mom?"

"Where are you going?"

"I told you. Ino and I are meeting up."

Whenever her mom gave her the "look", something bad bound to happen. She tried to say it as innocently as possible. But her mother eyed her suspiciously as if trying to find anything on her that was out of place.

"Are you two going to ogle at that Uchiha boy again?"

Now, it was Sakura's turn to be annoyed. It was true that she liked Sasuke, maybe even love him. But her world didn't just revolve around him. _Did it? _It was also true that maybe Ino and her would end up talking about him, but that doesn't mean that her mind was filled only with thoughts of the young Jounin. _Was it? Haven't I been thinking about Sasuke almost everyday? _She pushed those thoughts away and looked directly at her mother.

"No, mom. We're not going to "ogle" at Sasuke. We're just going to take a walk in the woods."

Her mother didn't look too convinced but nodded her head in approval anyway. After all, she had to trust her own daughter. Sakura's face immediately lit up and she hurriedly ran out the door as her mother let out a defeated sigh.

_**Somewhere in another part of the woods…**_

The sound of the stream accompanied Ino's impatient sighs. Sakura was half an hour late. Annoyed, she threw a rock onto the water and watched it skip across its surface thrice. But she cocked her head as her sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps. _Finally, she's here._

Ino got up from the big rock she was sitting on just in time to see her best friend jogging towards her.

"Its about time."


End file.
